Answered by Legionary of Christ Father
Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum
university.

Q: Will there ever be a day when the deaf will be allowed to enter
convents, monasteries, for the religious life? When all Catholic
churches will have American Sign Language and closed-captioning
available for the Mass? I believe even the deaf are equal before God and
should be equal before the Church.
—
M.D., Belleville, Ontario

A: There are two questions involved here. One regards the best means
of fostering the liturgical participation of the deaf, and indeed of all
people suffering from some physical limitation, and the second regards
the entrance of the deaf into religious life.

While it is always possible to do more, the Church has at heart the
plight of those unable to hear, and tries to help them as far as its
possibilities allow.

Examples of this concern is the publication of official texts for
signing the Mass issued by some bishops' conferences as well as building
guidelines such as "Built of Living Stones," issued by the U.S.
episcopal conference.

Regarding accessibility to churches, this document states:

"§ 211 § Every person should be welcomed into the worshiping assembly
with respect and care. It was the prophet Isaiah who announced the
Lord's message: 'For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all
peoples.' The bishops of the United States have stated that 'it is
essential that all forms of the liturgy be completely accessible to
persons with disabilities, since these forms are the essence of the
spiritual tie that binds the Christian community together.' Further
direction is given by Pope John Paul II, who has called the Church to
the full integration of persons with disabilities into family,
community, and Church, and to overcome 'the tendency to isolate,
segregate and marginalize [those with disabilities].' When buildings
present barriers to the full and active participation of all, the Body
of Christ is harmed.

"§ 212 § Special attention should be given to individuals with visual
or hearing impairments, to those who have difficulty walking or who are
in wheelchairs, and to the elderly with frailties. In addition to ramps,
elevators, braille signs, and special sound systems that can be accessed
by those who need assistance, staircases should have at least one
railing. If the sanctuary is elevated by steps, an unobtrusively placed
ramp with a hand rail should be provided to make it possible for
everyone to have access to the sanctuary.

"§ 213 § The planning process should include consultation with
persons with various disabilities and the use of an accessibility
inventory to ensure a careful review of potential or existing
architectural barriers. All new construction and renovation work must
fully integrate the demands of the liturgy with current laws, codes, and
ordinances for persons with disabilities.

"§ 214 § Older places of worship can be especially challenging
because of the obstacles they present to persons with disabilities. In
the renovation of older buildings, special provisions must be made to
harmonize the requirements for accessibility with the architectural
integrity of the building and with the norms for the proper celebration
of liturgy.

Adaptations to existing buildings can be expensive, but failure to
make the community's places of worship accessible will exact a far more
costly human and ecclesial toll. The goal is always to make the entire
church building accessible to all of God's People."

Thus, the will to address the particular difficulties of those with
disabilities is very present in the Church. However, a parish is less a
public service provider and more like a family. A family will go out of
its way to provide for the needs of its members, but only so far as its
resources allow.

I would say that if in many cases the requirements of those with
special needs has not been addressed it is not from lack of interest but
due to limited resources.

The other question, regarding possible vocations, is more delicate.

It is not generally considered discrimination when someone aspiring
to a particular walk of life is required to meet certain necessary
minimum physical conditions. Thus, pilots and surgeons need good vision
and people suffering from diabetes are sometimes excluded from demanding
professions such as the police force.

A substantial part of a priest's mission is taken up listening,
whether hearing confessions, guiding souls, or in more mundane tasks
such as parish committee meetings. Very often people receive spiritual
comfort just from the fact that the priest has truly listened to their
difficulties and even before any counsel is proffered.

Certainly, a priest who suffers from loss of hearing does not lose
his vocation but must bear the burden of having to limit some areas of
his ministry.

It is thus not unreasonable for a diocesan seminary, a religious
order actively engaged in pastoral work, or an active congregation of
female religious to require that candidates have the requisite physical
conditions for engaging in the particular mission.

That said, all priests are not necessarily pastors, nor all religious
engaged in active apostolate. And so it is certainly possible for
persons suffering from deafness to be consecrated to God if a
congregation with a suitable mission is willing to accept them.

This would not be a novelty in the Church. I remember some years ago
reading of a priest who founded a contemplative congregation made up
entirely of blind nuns. This congregation existed for several years, and
might still exist today even though I am unaware of its name and
location.

Similar institutes might exist for other disabilities.

In the end it matters little what particular mission we might have
carried out in Christ's Church but that each of us reaches sanctity by
taking up our cross and following in his footsteps.